Pilgrim cars didnt start trading till the 1980s. The 1977 registration date on this car is purely down to the use of the donor parts and the UK rules used at that time to assign age-related registration plates.

This one goes below "buyer beware". That is usually reserved for those with some hidden issue surfaced by a buyer's due diligence or adverse seller history not known to most. Anyone who buys this pig @ $40K deserves exactly what they get. Whether it's a 1977 or mid '80s is of no significance, I figure worth about $5K as is

"The Pilgrim Sumo is one of the most successful kit cars of all times. Early versions were based on the mechanical components of a Ford Cortina. Then the Granada (Cortina shaped) Mk1 and Mk2 were used as donor cars. The latest version, called the Sumo Mk3, uses the mechanical components of either a RWD Ford (Sierra, Granada Mk3 or Scorpio) or a Jaguar (XJ series, either XJ6, XJ12 or XJS).

We are working on a newer version, based on BMW 3 series components, but this Sumo Mk4 is still at prototype stage at this time. We shall be developing a 'blog' type of web page to keep everybody informed as to the state of play with this new vehicle."

"Later on by the mid-eighties Pilgrim Cars introduced their Sumo replica that has gone on to become the best selling Cobra kit in the UK with nearly 3,500 finding homes. Pilgrim brought Cobra ownership to the masses by giving people the opportunity to utilise humble donors such as the Ford Cortina & Sierra rather than standard fare Jaguar XJ6 and even shock, horror fit four cylinder engines. Such was the clamour to join the Cobra replica explosion almost anything goes, and around the world there are companies producing Beetle and Mazda MX-5 based versions and even in Indonesia a Cobra based on the Suzuki SJ. Pilgrim now under the control of Tony Holmes still service the budget end of the market but have moved their product a little upmarket."

Bill - thats a little put of date - under Tony Holmes, Pilgrim went bust, and then Den Tanner, the original founder, bought company back for a song. With the economic crisis in the UK, he then decided to indulge in growing a little weed to supplement the car business, and as a result is currently residing at Her Majesty's Pleasure. The current caretaker director is trying to keep the company running.

The car is being grossly mis-represented. It's fiberglass, not aluminum. It's not a low production car but a factory built demonstrator. I've exchanged emails with the seller. He is very obstinate and delusional.

You're probably a more patient man than I, just email if he would take a tricked out '73 Ford Pinto in trade. 486,000 miles on original motor, burns a little oil but runs ok for 30 minutes before missing badly.

I just read your post and his flippant response on his ebay listing. Needless to say, he is getting irate. He truly believes he has a "barn Find" piece of history. No matter what people who know more about the car tell him, the more obstinate he becomes.

That "relic" will never sell. He will be stuck with that "thing" forever. It has now become comical

I just read your post and his flippant response on his ebay listing. Needless to say, he is getting irate. He truly believes he has a "barn Find" piece of history. No matter what people who know more about the car tell him, the more obstinate he becomes.

That "relic" will never sell. He will be stuck with that "thing" forever. It has now become comical

Cheers
Bill D

Yeah, I just read his reply which came via email as well, worth posting to the masses for the laugh - too funny, he actually thought I was serious lol.

Me: Seems the experts at a couple of cobra sites think your Pilgrim Shelby is worth about $5,000 max and they know the Pilgrim history. Would you take a tricked out '73 Ford Pinto with 436,000 miles on the original motor in trade? It does burn a little oil but runs ok for 30 minutes before missing badly.

Him: Well I"d quickly contact one of "them there experts" if I were you and see what they'll trade for your Pinto. Personally I won't deal with chicken ****s who haven't got the balls to call me and instead send insipid an irrelevant emails that merely serve to illustrate the ignorance of the writer and the mindless crowd they follow. So, thank you XYZ for all the intelligent contributions you've made to mankind and this most insightful email you've sent. People like you who haven't got the ability to think for themselves but let other ignorant jackasses form their ill-advised opinions scare me - after all they can vote and reproduce! Have a nice day and enjoy your Pinto - I"m sure you can put the fiberglass kit of your wet-dreams on it and live happily ever after.

"I don;t understand the vituperation of these guys, my god, it's just a car after all. The fact that they don't like it or understand it has unleashed this cataclysm that's absolutely absurd - accusations of blasphemy, fraud, absolutely unfounded nonsense by people who cannot understand the difference between a self made kit car and a factory produced car, and if it doesn't matter to them, why do they care? I suspect none of these people have ever owned anything like this before anyway, but just can't stand that someone doesn't want to go along with their self-declared alleged expertise that's in reality just arrogant ignorance. Someone sent me an anonymous email stating that all the Kobra Kit Kar forums are castigating me and my car - as if I should care what a bunch of uninformed self aggrandizing buffoons think. It's obvious their only purpose is to impress themselves and peers with how much they really don't know. Look at all the obvious fraud and mis-representation, and shady sellers hiding behind an email curtain. I've never attempted to hide anything nor made it hard to contact me or inspect/test drive my car. Any seller that won't publish his phone number is one I think we should be afraid of."

Comical! Best side show ever.

He has had this car up for sale before. Last time in 2012 he called it a Shelby a Cobra.

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